Question:
The problem (and this has been discussed here before)
is that too often the first "tossing-of-the-resume" is
bestowed on an HR-type who can't tell that someone
with a history as a documentation specialist,
technical communicator, or knowledge manager, is
probably experienced as a technical writer. If hiring
managers always did the screening, then I'd be less
worried about qualified people being disqualified by
unqualified hiring drones.
But then again, maybe I'm just a little jaded 3 months
after my downsizing in a market small enough that
there's a dearth of new opportunities. I'd probably
move if I could afford to, but as it is I'll probably
wind up flipping crabby patties.
Answer:
I'm probably making a dangerous assumption or two, but what the heck is life without
a little danger,
My first reaction on reading the above comment is that it points up the danger of
using a generalized resume over one tailored for a specific job. Forget for a moment
my known bias, and consider that it might be better to translate your experience and
positions into terms that the company you are hiring for is familiar with. If
they're advertising for a Technical Writer, translate your positions into "Technical
Writer."
I wouldn't expect some other company to know and be able to make equivalencies
between their job titles and those of other organizations. I would make that my job
in my resume. This is what makes word processing so valuable to the job seeker. Any
resume, no matter how it is organized can be tailored to the needs of a potential
employer, and that makes more sense than trying to make one resume fit every
potential job out there, especially in a tight market.
